Sammy McCorkle, a 1996 graduate and three-time letterwinner at the University of Florida, is entering his 10th season on the Dartmouth coaching staff, having arrived in 2005 with Coach Teevens. Three members of the Green’s defensive secondary in 2005 — Steve Jensen, Mike Ribero and Ian Wilson — earned All-Ivy recognition as Dartmouth ranked first in the Ivy League in pass defense and 14th in the FCS rankings. In 2006, Wilson and John Pircon also won All-Ivy recognition. Pircon also was an All-Ivy second team pick in 2007, while Wilson was a second-teamer in 2008.

In each of the past three seasons, McCorkle’s pass defense has been the stingiest in the league. His secondary also picked off 12 passes in 2011 to tie for second most in the conference. Two-time co-captain Garrett Waggoner earned All-Ivy first-team honors as a safety in both 2012 and ’13, while safety Stephen Dazzo and cornerback Vernon Harris earned spots on the second team last season.

McCorkle mentored one of the finest cornerbacks in Dartmouth history in Shawn Abuhoff ’12, who earned first-team All-Ivy honors in both 2010 and 2011, and finished his career one interception shy of the school’s career record. Abuhoff and safety Pete Pidermann ’10 were selected for the All-Ivy second team in 2009 as the Big Green pass defense ranked third in the conference that year.

In 2003-04, McCorkle was the head coach at Martin County High in Stuart, Fla. In 2003, he led Martin County to its best record in 10 years.

McCorkle previously coached at the University of Tennessee-Martin from 2000-02. He coached the defensive secondary in 2000 and was defensive coordinator in 2001-02. He coordinated the punt return, extra point and field goal blocking and kickoff teams while assisting with punt and kickoff return teams.

Sammy and Vicki McCorklewith (l-r) Allie, Campbell and Madison.

From 1997-99, McCorkle was a graduate assistant at Florida, his alma mater. He assisted the secondary and special teams coaches while also scouting opponents.

During the 1996-97 academic year, McCorkle taught physical education while coaching the defensive backs and linebackers, and coordinating special teams at Spanish River High School in Boca Raton, Fla.

McCorkle was a standout defensive back during his playing days at Florida. He played on four Southeastern Conference championship teams, competed in four bowl games (Gator Bowl, twice in the Sugar Bowl, and the Fiesta Bowl), and a national title game. McCorkle graduated with Florida's single-season and career records for blocked punts. He was named twice as Florida's special teams player-of-the-year.

McCorkle, the football staff's academic liaison, is coordinator of the Mentoring Program that brings Big Green football players and successful Dartmouth alumni together to introduce the players to business and professional opportunities when they graduate.

He and his wife, Vicki, have three daughters, Madison, Allie and Campbell.